Developing storm

0 Comments | La Crosse Tribune, Dec 12, 2004 | by Bloom, Betsy

TOWN OF ONALASKA, Wis. - Opponents of a plan to add more homes in the Apple Valley subdivision said they expect the La Crosse County Board to allow the land to be rezoned for residential development.

The plan by developer Dick Graw calls for 27 lots on 73acres on the north side of Schilling Road, the main route from Sand Lake Road into Apple Valley.

The change involves only 15.3 of the 73 acres, now listed as transitional agricultural. Rezoning it to agricultural A, the same as the surrounding land, would allow homes to be built.

Graw also offered to set aside 20 blufftop acres with the Mississippi Valley Conservancy, a local land preservation group, if the rezoning was approved.

The Town of Onalaska Board and the county's Planning Resources and Development Committee already have passed Graw's request. The backing of the county boardwhich should come at its regular meeting Dec. 16, is the last step before rezoning.

"I've been contacting county board members to let them know of our concerns," said Nancy Johnson, who has lived in the Apple Valley subdivision for five years. "But the county board tends to listen to its committees."

She and other Apple Valley residents worry Graw's plan will put too many houses on too little land, and could worsen erosion and runoff problems in the subdivision.

"We already have concerns in Apple Valley when we have a major rain," said Johnson. "This is only going to serve to compound that."

In a petition signed by 142 Apple Valley residents, they asked the town board to delay rezoning until the town completes its land-use plan next spring.

"We're certainly not saying there shouldn't be any development out there," Johnson said. "We're saying the development should be aligned with the current town plan, or the future town plan."

Town supervisor Dave Paudler agreed with the residents in voting against the rezoning Dec. 2.

The impression he got from about 100 people at last Saturday's land-use plan meeting was "people want very moderate, conservative-type growth" in the town.

The town's current policy is to have lots be at least two acres or larger, Paudler said. If the number of lots is divided into the acres involved, Graw's proposal does average two acres per home.

But that includes the conservation land, Paudler noted; in reality; some lots in the new development will be less than an acre.

Graw did not return a telephone call for comment.

Dave Gramling, the town's chairman, said not rezoning the 15 acres would have left a fragment in the midst of development.

"We have kind of a responsibility to the landowner," Gramling said. "He had a right to be heard as well."

Both he and board member Steve Kujak, who heads the town's Planning Commission, said a lot of details still need to be ironed out - the final plat, for example - before any new houses will go up.

"I just think a lot of their concerns will be dealt with at another time," Gramling said.